Cessna 172P accident near Monroe, Louisiana, November 8, 1985
On November 8, 1985 at about 11:40 pm local time, a Cessna 172P, registered N52995, was substantially damaged in an accident near Monroe, Louisiana. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 8, 1985 · about 11:40 pm local time
- Place
- Monroe, Louisiana · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172P · all 172Ps on the register
- Registration
- N52995 · registry record · serial 17274655
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ON NOVEMBER 7, 1985, AT APPROXIMATELY 1740 CDT, CESSNA 172P, REGISTRATION NO. N52995, SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. PILOT STATED THAT HE WAS IN CRUISE CONFIGURATION AT 5,500 FEET, WHEN LYCOMING ENGINE MODEL O-260-D2J, SERIAL NO. L-10724-39A, LOST POWER. PILOT ATTEMPTED TO LAND IN THE EAST BOUND LANES OF I-20, BUT DUE TO THE HEAVY TRAFFIC, WAS FORCED TO LAND IN THE MEDIAN OF I-20, 15 MILES WEST OF MONROE, LOUISIANA. UPON LANDING THE AIRCRAFT FLIPPED OVER DAMAGING THE PROPELLER, RIGHT GEAR, NOSE GEAR, VERTICAL STAB AND BOTH WINGS. MR STEWART WAS NOT INJURED.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 134 hours in all; 20 in the last 90 days; 100 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Unknown (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,341 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, October 31, 1985; 35 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D2J (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Cathron Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: F54 Arlington TX at 4:35 am
- Destination: Thomasville GA
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 140° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:55 am from MLU, 15 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Other NTSB records under N52995 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.